Clasp



(No Model.)

J. H. PILKINGTON.

CLASP.

Patented June 21,1898.

WI'I 'NESSES 60 7- ra ,ferred.

UNirnn TATES i ATEN'I @rrron.

JOSEPH H. PILKINGTON, OF WATERBURY, CONNECTICUT.

CLASP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 606,082, dated June 21, 1898.

Application filed September '7, 1897. SerialNo. 660,760. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom it hwy concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH I-I. PILKINGTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at l/Vaterbury, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clasps; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skill-ed in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same.'

Hy invent-ion has for its object to provide a simple and inexpensive clasp adapted for general useas, for example, to attach an eyeglass-holder or a pencil-holder to a vest, to attach a trousers-button to a garment, or to attach a stocking-supporterto a corset, or any of the various uses to which claspsof this type are ordinarily applied. WVith these ends in view I have'devised the simple and novel clasp of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, numbers being used to designate the several parts.

Figure 1 shows the application of my novel clasp in connection with an eyeglass-holder, the latter being in position on the garment; Fig. 2, a rearview of my novel clasp detached; Fig. 3, a side elevation also showing its application to an eyeglass-holder; Fig. 4, a similar view showing its application to a trousersbutton; and Fig. 5 is a front, elevation,and Fig. 6 a plan View showing its application to a pencil-holder.

1 denotes the front plate, and 2 the back plate, of mynovel clasp.

8 denotes a projection lying transversely.

across the back plate. This projection may be made by simply curving the metal of the back plate outward, as shown in the drawings, or a piece of metal may be attached to the back plate to form the projection, if pre- It is simply essential that this projection be provided with a vertical slot 4, the purpose of which will presently be explained. At the lower end of the back plate is pivoted a lockinglever 5, which is provided with locking-prongso. The peculiar feature of these locking-prongs is that they extend upward from the pivotal point substantially parallel with the locking-lever, and then inward at right an glesto the locking-lever, the result being that in placing the clasp in position on a garment the locking-pron gs are Wholly out of the way and that in locking the clasp in posi tion the movement of the prongs in entering the material of the garment is inward and downward in an arc of a circle, so that the prongs are certain to engage the material of the garment and in such a way that it is impossible to release the clasp until the locking-lever is turned backward out of the way to draw the prongs out of the garment. I have shown the locking-lever and the prongs made of a single piece of metal, which may be either sheet metal or wire, and the lower end of the back plate as provided with eyes 7, formed from the metal of the plate, the locking-lever engaging and turning freely in these eyes. It will be noticed in Fig. 2 that the locking-lever consists of two arms, which in practice are spring-arms and which may be sprung into slot 4: when the locking-prongs are forced into the material of a garment, thereby looking the clasp to the garment and also retaining the locking-lever in the locking position, so that in order to release the clasp it is necessary to apply suflicient power to overcome holder 8, which in the present instance is simply a hook swiveled to the back plate.

9 (see Fig. 4) denotes a trousers-button which is riveted to the back plate, and 10 (see Figs.

5 and 6) denotes a pencil-holder which is simply a plate of metal curved to proper shape and either rivetedor pivoted to the back plate.

Having thus described my invention, I claim I 1. A clasp consisting of a front plate and a back plate, a projection on the back plate having a vertical slot, and a spring lockinglever pivoted to the back plate and lying within said vertical slot when in locked position, said spring-lever having locking-prongs which extend upward parallel with the locking-lever and then inward so that the action of the prongs in engaging a garment is in an arc of a circle. 4

2. A clasp provided with a front and back plate having a slot into which said springplate between which the material to be enarms fall and are looked. IO gaged by said elaspis held, a locking-lever In testimony whereof I affix my signature pivoted to said back plate and lying parallel in presence of two Witnesses.

5 therewith'when in locked position, said lock- JOSEPH H. PILKING'JTON. ing-lever having prongs which span said plate Witnesses: and engage the material, spring-arms carried CASIMIR II. DRONSON,

by said lever, and a projection on said back FRANK L. SMITH. 

